Multiple contact selector switch



April 7-, 1936. J. H, D 2,036,731

MULTIPLE CONTACT SELECTOR SWITCH Filed Aug. 6, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 ilmnm I gfiw I a a o JaaepkH. wwaylm a.

ATTOR N EY April 7, 1936. TODD I 2,036,731

MULTIPLE CONTACT SELECTOR SWITCH Filed Aug. 6, 1934 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTORNEY Patented Apr. 7, 1936 UNITED- STATES PATENT OFFICE- MULTIPLE CONTACT sELnc'roaswrrcn Joseph 11. Todd, East Chicago, Ind. Application August a, 1934, Serial No."738,715

.zclaims. (crew-4) The invention relates to electrical switches and has for its general object the provision of a novel switch which is capable of employment for a wide variety of purposes, forinstance in analyzing 5 radio sets, testing tubes, measuring the voltage, current or resistance characteristics from the tube socket, for indicating the voltage values from point to point, resistance values from point to point, for enabling one telephoneor telegraph inl strument to serve a number of lines, and other purposes.

An important object of the invention is to provide a switch which will-be very compact and which is yet provided with means for maintaining 15 a number of local circuits while permitting an additional circuit to be controlled at will, it being a feature that the switch embodies means i'or enabling a certain predetermined series circuit to be maintained under certain circumstances.

20 Another object of the invention is to provide a device of this character embodying means which will normally maintain a circuit and embodying other means which is operable to establish or discontinue a series connection with an adjunctive 25 element or circuit.

' An additional object is to provide a switch of this'character which will be simple to make, easy to assemble and adjust, positive in action, eflicient and durable in service, and a general improve- 30 ment in the art.

To the attainment of the foregoing and other objects and advantages, the invention preferably consists in the details of construction and the arrangement and combination of parts to be here- 35 inafter more fully described and claimed, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a horizontal cross sectional view taken through the switch, 40 .wFigm-e 2 ,s a vertical cross sectional view,

taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 1,

Figure 4 is a detail perspective view of one of the contact plates of the: stator,

Figure 5 is a perspective view showing a pair of the plates carried by the rotor, v

"Figure 6 is a top plan view showing the rotor and the calibrations associated therewith,

Figure'l is a iragmentary bottom plan view.

Referring more particularly tothe drawings, I have shown my switch as comprising a stator including upper and lower disks l0 and Ii of insulating material held apart in spaced relation by bolts l2 passing through sleeves l3. These bolts l2 may beprolonged beyond either of the upper 55 or lower disks, or both, for mounting purposes.

, underside of the rotary disk 20 is a contactring Figure 3 is a detail vertical cross sectional view By prolonging the bolts I2 upwardly as shown in Figure 2 it is clear that they might be associated with a panel or the like indicated by the dot and dash lines l4 in Figure 2.

Secured upon the underface of the disk in is a 5 series of contacts l5 formed as segmental plates shown in detail in Figure 4 and having terminal lugs." for attachment of conductors thereto. Secured upon the top of the lower disk H and arranged in circular series are similar contact 10 plates I! having terminal lugs l8 for attachment of wires thereto. Journaled axially through the disks l0 and II is a sleeve or tubular shaft l3 carrying a rotor 20 formed as a disk of insulating material which is secured with respect to the sleeve or hollow shaft by nuts 2| threaded onto the shaft and engaging against opposite sides of the disk. Above the disk In the shaft or sleeve I9 is provided with a turning knob 22 secured as by a grub screw 23 and here represented as carrying a pointer 24 movable over and cooperating with an'appropriately calibrated dial 25 whichmay be mounted in any desired manner upon the panel l4. Ex-

tending axially through the hollow shaft or sleeve 25 l9 and slidable therein is a push rod 26 of insulating material provided at its lower end with an enlarged head 21 for a. purpose to be described.

Secured upon opposite sides of the rotary disk 20 as by means of rivets 28 or the like are pairs or contacts 29 which may have pressed-out portions 3|! cooperating with the contacts l5 and I! for the purpose of maintaining the local circuits connected to the contacts i5 and I1. Likewise secured upon opposite sides oi. the rotary disk are contacts 3| and 32 formed with stamped-out portions 33 and 34 and adapted to cooperate with any selected pair of contacts l5 and "J On the 35 connected with the contact 3| as by a rivet 36, and likewise secured on the underside of the rotary disk is a ring 31 which connects with the contact 32 as clearly shown in Figure 2.

Secured upon the top of the bottom disk II is a contact 38 having a pressed-out portion 39 bearing against thering 35. The contact 38 is mounted as by means of rivets 40 and 4| which pass through the contact 38, through the disk II and through a metallic member 42 having a terminal lug 43 for attachment of a wire thereto. 'The lower end of the rivet 4! is enlarged to form a contact 44. Secured upon the top of the disk H is another spring contact 45 having a'pressed-out portion 46 hearing against the ring 31. Mounted on the underside of the stationary disk II is an elongated spring contact 41 secured in place as by bolts 48 or the like, one of which passes through the contact 45 for establishing an electrical connection between the contacts 45 and 41. The contact 41 has one end 49 formed as or with a terminal lug adapted for connection of a wire thereto. As mentioned, the contact 41 is elongated and extends beneath and in engagement with the head 21 at the lower end of the push rod 26 and has a terminal contact 50 normally engaging against the contact 44 of the rivet 4!.

While it is not essential I have shown, particularly in Figure 3, ledges or ridges SI .and 52 on the confronting faces of thestationary disks ill and II for engagement by the contacts 29 and 3| and 32 for the purpose of limiting separating movement of these contacts so that the action will m smoother.

In the use of the device, it will be seen that any desired local circuits may be connected with the contacts I 5 and I1 and will be maintained :owing to the engagement of the contacts 29 therewith which are in turn electrically connected by the rivets 28. Other connections in any desired circuit, depending upon the work to be done, are to be made at the points 43 and 49. When the knob'22 is rotated so as to turn the disk 20 the contacts 3| and 32 may be brought into engagement with any selected pair of the contacts I5 and I1. Under normal conditions, that is to say when the contact 50 on the elongated spring member 41 is in engagement with the contact 44, nothing happens as whatever circuit is connected with the points 49 and 50 will be bridged by the contact 41. However, when the operator depresses the push rod 28 the head 21 thereon engaging against the elongated spring contact 41 will move the latter downwardlyand break the contact between the points 44 and 50. when this is done, it will be seen that in whatever circuit is connected with the points 43 and 49 current will flow through the member 41,, rivet 48, contact 45, contact ring 31, contact 32, whichever one of the plates I1 is engaged thereby, through the local circuit, back to theplate .li, contact 3|, rivet 36, ring", contact 38, rivets" 40 and 4|, and contact plate 42.- In this way it will be seen that whatever is tobe'tested or whatever circuit is .to be handled can be very simply thrown into series with any selected pair of the contacts I5 and I 1 by the very simple expedient of depressing the push rod. When the push rod is. permitted to return to its upper or normal. position the spring contact 41 will return to its upper position in engagement with the contact 44, thus cutting out whatever circuit is connected tov the points 43 and 48 and permitting restoration of the direct connection between the contacts l5 and I1.

The device is of course capable of employment for a multiplicity of purposes which are. in fact so numerous that it is not believed necessary to point out in detail whatthey may be, especial ly as possibilities have been mentioned in the preliminary part of the specification. It will be seen that the switch is extremely simple and will therefore be inexpensive to manufacture and easy .to use. It is thought from the above that the construction, operation and advantages will be readily apparent to one skilled in the art without further explanation.

While I have shown and described the preferred embodiment of the inventibn, it should be ing faces with circular. series of contact plates having lugs for connection to the conductors of circuits to be tested, a rotary disk disposed between said stationary members and provided with means for imparting angular or turning movement to the same, a plurality of contacts mounted on each face of said disk and equalin number to the contacts on said members, those on one face of the disk engaging the contacts of one member and those on the other face of the disk engagingthe contacts of the other member, concentric rings carried on one face of said disk,

. one of the disk-carried contacts being electrically connected with one of said .rings and the corresponding contact. on the opposite face of said disk being electrically connected with the other of said rings, all of the remaining contacts on said disk being electrically interconnected in pairs of which the two contacts of any pair are on opposite faces of the. disk, contacts carried by one of the mem rsand slidably bearing one on each of said rin and a short circuited switch bridging the last said contact and. normally held in closed position but provided with means by which it may be manually retained in open position. L

2. A selector'switch comprising a pair of spaced stationary members provided on their confronting faces with circular series of contact plates having lugs for connection to the conductors of circuits to be tested, a rotary disk disposed between said stationary members and provided with means for'imparting angular or turning movement to the same, a plurality of contacts mounted on each face of said disk and equal in number to the contacts on said members, those on one face of the disk engaging the contacts of one member and those on the other face of the disk engaging the contacts of the other member, concentric rings carried on one face of said disk, one

of the disk-carried contacts being electrically connected with one of said rings and the corresponding contact on the opposite faceqf said disk being electrically connected with'the other of said rings, all of the remaining contacts on said disk being electrically interconnected in pairs of which the two contacts of any pair are on opposite faces of the disk, contacts carried by one of the members and slidably bearing,one on each of said leaf spring with its remote terminal projecting beyond the opposite end of the tubular shaft.

JOSEPH H. TODD. 

